Uninvited
by NyEspi
Summary: Damon is a powerful man, but for all the wrong reasons. Elena wants in on his world, what happens when she gets in too deep? AU/AH
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is a story that I started toying around with, its completely different from anything I've ever written before and i hope that you guys like it. Special dedication to this entire project is for my incredible friend, Dawn. You inspire where other forms fail.

Quote is from 'Lil' Freak' by Usher ft. Nicki Minaj

* * *

Chapter One

* * *

_Want me to get you something, daddy? _

* * *

Her bright green eyes scanned the club. She wasn't sure what she was looking for. She was bored and she just wanted a good time. Maybe if she found one good enough, Damon would want to play too. She leaned against the railing of the balcony looking over the dance floor. All she saw were dancing bodies, moving and grinding against each other making the smell of sex so palpable, she could practically taste it. A grin soon spread across Isobel's face as she spotted a young brunette by the bar.

To anyone else, she would've probably looked nothing more than an ordinary girl just hanging out at a club. But this was no ordinary club. The people that came here knew about the things that happened here. They knew what they came for. So Isobel found it curious that she hadn't seen this girl before and the prospect of having her was too damn exciting. Fresh fruit was always the sweetest.

Isobel began to make her way towards the staircase to the right. Her hand slid over the railing languidly, her every step was that of a predator. Gracefully, she made her way down the steps and never looked away from the girl at the bar. She scanned her body as she approached her. A skin tight, red lace mini dress hugged the girl's every curve in such a way, it left very little to the imagination. Her hair was pinned up in messy curls, exposing her shoulders and back. She held a martini in her hand and took a sip of it before locking eyes with Isobel.

"I haven't seen you here before…" Isobel said in what the girl could only describe as a purr. "What's your name?"

"Elena."

Isobel leaned into Elena's ear, "You want to come with me?"

"Where did you have in mind?" Elena asked, with the best coy smile she could muster.

Isobel smiled back as she ran a well manicured finger over the curve of Elena's breast, "Upstairs. We can have some fun; you can meet a friend of mine. I think he's going to like you."

Elena stepped forward, inches from Isobel's face, "Lead the way."

Isobel's hand moved from Elena's breast to grab her hand before she turned and made her way back towards the staircase.

Elena followed Isobel closely. She felt the adrenaline begin to pump inside her. This was it. She was going to meet him. The man who every girl wanted to fuck and every man wanted to be. The man who's mere presence exuded power and evoked fear. She was now going to experience it firsthand. To see if in fact he lived up to the stories she'd been told.

Isobel moved deep into the crowd on the second floor until she reached a metal door. She pressed a button on the right and looked up at the camera that hung above it. Moments later, Elena heard a click and Isobel pushed the door open.

Elena's big doe eyes went wide at the sight before her. The room was a huge office with a mahogany desk as the focal point. To the right hand side was a big leather couch with a couple of scantily clad girls making out with each other. To the left stood a giant man who Elena could only assume was a bodyguard. The walls were lined with period paintings save for the far wall behind the desk, which were just book shelves made of the same mahogany as the desk.

Someone sat at the desk, facing towards the bookshelf, making it difficult for Elena to see who it was. Isobel let go of Elena's hand, walked over to the desk and stood by the left side. She leaned forward, appearing to have whispered something before stepping back, allowing room for the person to spin around in the leather chair.

Elena tried not to react at the sight before her. Her eyes were instantly met by icy blue ones and she could feel her heart begin to race beneath her chest. His lips were pursed in a sinister smile as she felt his eyes roam her body. She suddenly felt very exposed at the way he was inspecting her, but she kept a calm exterior. She was not about to mess this up.

He bit his bottom lip in appreciation as his eyes took in every curve of her body. The girl was definitely a sight to see. She was petite and tiny but something about her said that her fragile appearance was just a façade. There was a strength about her that came off of her in waves even though he was willing to bet that she was surely feeling every fiber in her body screaming at her, just like it always did for every other girl that has ever been in his presence. He stood from his chair and made his way around the desk and walked up to Elena slowly.

He stood but mere inches from her face and tilted his head slightly, glancing at her full lips before looking up at her big brown eyes.

"I'm Damon. Damon Salvatore," he said as he took her hand in his, pressing his lips to it.

"Elena," she replied with a small smile. "It's a really nice office you've got, Mr. Salvatore."

"Please, call me Damon. Would you like a drink?" he asked as he placed his hand on the small of her back, leading her towards the left side of the room. On the left corner, behind the bookshelf, was another door. Upon Damon opening it, Elena could see that it was a large bedroom.

There was a king size, four post, canopy bed on the left wall while the right side of the room was occupied by a wet bar. Damon walked over to the bar and began to pour himself a glass of bourbon.

"Do you like bourbon? Or would you like something else?" he asked.

Elena stood in the center of the room for a moment, taking in her surroundings. She could hear the door closing behind her and saw that Damon had averted his eyes away from her for a moment.

"Step outside, Isobel."

"But Damon—"

"Step… outside," Damon said sternly, his voice never giving away the venom that seeped through his bright blue eyes.

Elena never turned to look at Isobel, she only tilted her head slightly as she heard the door opened and closed behind her. Looking back at Damon, she spoke, "Bourbon is fine."

"You like the hard stuff. I like that."

"My father was a fan. I used to steal his bottles when I was a teenager," she replied as he handed her the glass.

"Are you the rebellious type? Or was that just a phase?"

Elena walked over to the bed and sat down before taking a big gulp of her drink, "I guess it depends on who you ask."

Damon smirked. She was captivating. Usually the girls that came into this room were either too nervous to speak or were just all about the sex. Small talk was never something he did, but he couldn't help himself, he was intrigued.

"What about you? Did daddy spark your taste in the drink?"

"Something like that, yeah," Damon replied as he came over to her and stood before her. He looked down at her before taking a swig of his drink.

Elena could tell that he was trying to intimidate her even though he held a relaxed posture. The way he was looking down at her would've probably made any random skank cower underneath his gaze, but Elena was no such creature. She pulled him to her by his belt, allowing him to stand between her legs. He smirked as he leaned down and began to nuzzle her cheek before pressing his lips right below her ear, sending unexpected chills down her spine.

"I'll need a few more of these before we take it any further, Mr. Salvatore," she breathed.

"I won't tell you again to call me Damon," he said as he began to trail his kisses along her jaw line.

Elena smirked and pressed a hand against his chest, pushing him away from her. She took one last gulp of her drink before standing up and walking over to the bar. She reached over the bar and grabbed the bottle to pour herself another drink. She turned, leaning back as she eyed Damon carefully. He had been watching her every move and she couldn't help but feel a sort of elation as a result.

"Damon," she finally said. "What do you think is going to happen here, Damon?" she made a point to enunciate his name as she studied him closely.

Damon stood beside the bed, his eyes had a shown with momentary astonishment at this girl before recovering quickly, holding on to his ever present confidence. "Well, I think it's a little obvious, don't you think?"

"Humor me," she challenged, crossing her arms.

"We're going to have fun," he replied as he started to walk towards her.

"What if I said I didn't want to have fun? Would you let me walk out that door?"

"Now, what could have possibly given you the idea that I wouldn't if that were the case?" he asked, amused. When he finally reached her, he leaned both of his hands against the bar on either side of her, trapping her.

She looked up at him confidently, "Oh, I know all about you, Damon. The man who exudes such power, he makes men quiver with just a glint of his eye."

He leaned into her ear and whispered, "Oh, I'll definitely make you quiver…"

The feel of his breath on her neck caused her to shiver in spite of herself. "Clever," she whispered back.

Damon pulled back and met her eyes for a moment before capturing her lips in a hard kiss. Elena was momentarily stunted by the act, but soon she was kissing back fiercely, holding his face in her hand. Damon's hands began to travel down to her hips and pulled tight against him. He pressed his arousal hard against her, making her groan. His manner was aggressive, and much to her surprise, Elena found herself getting turn on by it.

She started to feel his hands travel down to the hem of her short dress and the moment she felt his hands directly on her skin, she pushed him away harshly. Damon stumbled, confused, but just as quickly he sported a devilish smile, seemingly unfazed by the act.

"You're going to make me work for it, aren't you," he breathed.

Elena pushed herself away from the bar and lithely walked towards him, "You seem surprised."

"I am, actually," he replied, the smirk still intact.

Elena smirked back and leaned into him before whispering in his ear, "Stick around."

With that, she walked around him and made her way towards the door, leaving Damon standing alone in the center of the room.

Damon heard the door open and close behind him. To say he was stunned was probably putting it lightly. He turned around to find that she was truly gone. Did she really just turn him down?

His mind was officially blown.

* * *

Elena walked confidently through the office, past Isobel, past the skanks on the couch, past the bodyguards. She made it back out to the club and walk down the steps, making her way through the crowd until she reach the back exit. Once she was outside, she took a deep breath; the icy cool air, relieving her from the smoke infested club.

She was taking a risk walking out of that room and not sleeping with Damon. But if she had, he would've most likely been done with her after the night was over and that simply wasn't going to do. She needed to get in. Be in his world. And one night stands weren't particularly known for going beyond that one night.

No, she needed to take these chances and hope that her charms were enough.

Elena sighed as pulled down her dress, remembering how his touch had excited her. She was disgusted with herself for reacting that way to him. He knew how to work women, and clearly she was no different and it sickened her.

"Suck it up, Gilbert," she told herself.

Elena couldn't stand being out here any longer so she pulled out her phone and quickly dialed a number. "Where are you?"

"Around the corner, I'll be right there," said the other voice on the line.

Moments later, Elena saw a black Dodge Charger come down the street and stop before her. She quickly got into to vehicle and sunk herself into the seat.

"You okay?" A pair of worried blue eyes took in Elena's appearance. She didn't look like she had been hurt in anyway, but the hard look on her face told him different.

"I'm fine, Matt. Just take me home."

* * *

TBC...

* * *

A/N: hm... i wonder what THATS all about? O.o Please please please tell me what you think! this story is so out of my comfort zone and i'd love to hear your thoughts!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey guys! I just want to thank everyone for the response and support of this story! I honestly never thought it would get such interest. So again, THANK YOU!

The quote is from 'Murder' by Within Temptation.

* * *

Chapter Two

* * *

_I'm about to do it your way, I will make you world unsafe._

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Elena glared at Matt just when she was about to open the car door. "Matt, for the last time, I'm fine. I know what I signed up for."

Matt sighed, defeated, "Alright."

"Alright," Elena repeated as she made her way out of the car.

"You call me if you need anything, you hear me?" said Matt.

"You got it," Elena replied before closing the door and turned to walk into her apartment complex.

She made her way up the stairs to the 2nd floor and willed her tired body to reach her apartment door. She bent down to grab the keys from under the welcome mat and proceeded to unlock her door. Once inside, she immediately took off her pumps and tossed them on the floor before closing the door behind her. She made her way down the hall of her one bedroom, one bath apartment and removed her dress as she did so. Once inside the bathroom she began to pull the bobby pins out of her hair and turned on the shower.

She could smell the stench of the club on her and the memory of having Damon Salvatore's hands all over her was still so vivid, it almost felt like her skin burned where his hands had been. She stepped into the shower, letting the hot water scorch away any remnants of the night's events. She had to get her mind right because eventually she would have to give into him. Sooner rather than later, before he lost the little interest he had in her.

She risked a lot tonight; every moment had been a stroke of chance. She had dangled herself out as bait and hoped it would take. She was excited and terrified when Isobel had spotted her. Excited that she had finally been given the chance she so desperately needed and terrified of the things that she might have to do in order to get things in motion.

She would never underestimate Damon Salvatore. She's been around men like him her entire life; she knew how dangerous he could be. But she wasn't afraid of him. Not by a long shot. No, she was afraid of herself. She knew very well what she was capable of and how far she'd be willing to go.

Elena finished rinsing out her hair before shutting off the water and stepping out of the shower. She grabbed the towel that hung to her left and wrapped it around herself. She walked out of the bathroom, not even bothering to look in the mirror.

She got to her bedroom and towel dried her hair before climbing into bed nude. It didn't take long for sleep to take over.

* * *

Two nights later

* * *

Alaric Saltzman shook his head when he heard the pounding of the headboard against the wall coming from the next room as he scanned the surveillance. The girl's pleasurable screaming coming through the walls only made him chuckle. He looked at every little screen as he lounged on his boss's leather chair, with a glass of whiskey in one hand and a small remote control on the other.

Suddenly, just as the girl seemed to be climaxing in the next room, the person he had been looking for was entering the club. Alaric stood quickly and made his way over to the bedroom.

He knocked on the door, "Damon."

"What?" Damon replied, giving Alaric the cue he needed to enter the room.

Alaric pushed the door open just in time to see Damon getting off of the girl he had just been fucking and get out of bed.

"What is it, Ric?" he asked as he grabbed his pants from the floor and slipped them on.

"She's here."

Damon's baby blues light up. He could kick himself for feeling any excitement and quickly recovered, keeping his cool exterior in front of Ric, "Keep an eye her, I'm going to go take a shower."

Ric tried to hide his smile. He's known Damon too long for him to miss the quick expression. He knew when his friend got excited about something. It was a rarity, but he knew it well enough.

Damon looked at Ric, "What?"

"Nothing."

Damon regarded him for a moment before deciding it was in his best interest to leave it alone and proceeded to walk towards the connecting master bathroom to his right.

"Don't tell Isobel she's here," Damon said over his shoulder before stopping again to face Ric, "And get rid of this one, will you?" he said, gesturing towards the girl in his bed.

"Sure," Ric replied with a half smile.

"Thanks buddy!" Damon returned the smile before finally making his way into the bathroom and closing the door behind him.

* * *

Elena moved her curled brown hair to the side as she approached the bar, "Rum and coke on the rocks, please. Heavy on the rum."

"_Heavy on the rum. _You know, a lady should really mind her liquor."

Elena smiled and turned to be met by strikingly bright blue eyes. Damon stood before her, leaning against the bar with a smirk on his face.

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing I'm not a lady. Or… not a proper one, anyway," she said before taking a big sip from her drink.

"Is that so? You see, somehow I doubt that."

"You flatter me, Mr. Salvatore."

"I try."

Elena smiled again, regarding him for a moment before walking to the dance floor. She pushed her way through the crowd until she found a spot in the center of the floor. Damon watched her begin to move to the club music. He made his way over to the floor, never taking his eyes off her, mesmerized by how she moved her hand through her brown locks before raising it above her head. How her hips would pop to the beat, causing her short, black leather skirt to go impossibly higher. He was itching to touch her.

He moved up behind her, placing his hand on her hip as he began to move with her. Damon nuzzled her neck and Elena took one last gulp of her drink before leaning into him. The strobe light flashed in the dark club to the beat of the music, allowed her to lose herself in the moment. She closed her eyes, not wanting to think. If she began to think this was all over. She allowed herself to feel, to take in every touch; every move he made because only then was she going to be able to do this right.

Damon pressed up against her and they moved in unison, sensually and without a thought of the outside world. She could feel him against her butt, she knew what he was ready for, but she had to play her cards right. Just a little longer.

Elena turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck, her empty glass dangling from her fingers. One of his arms went around her waist, pressing her against him as the other roamed over her ass. Their foreheads met and she couldn't help but notice that, despite the stench of sweat and smoke and alcohol in the club, he smelled fresh. The smell of his cologne wasn't revolting at all. In fact, it was intoxicating.

Elena suppressed a groan as she moved against his thigh, creating friction, feeling the heat rise within her. His hand moved down from her ass to her thigh, lifting her leg up, causing her to hook her ankle around his calf.

Damon could feel her melting in his arms, she wanted him and he relished in it. He tipped his head slightly, capturing her lips in his. She kissed him back eagerly, her free hand fisting his hair on the back of his head. They explored each other's mouth, their tongues dancing, their lips tugging at the others.

Damon broke the kiss, moving his mouth to her neck before whispering into her ear, "Come upstairs with me. I could really use the company."

Elena chuckled, "You see, somehow_ I_ doubt that," she echoed his words from earlier.

Damon pulled away, looking at her with a raised eyebrow; his eyes cloudy with desire, much to Elena's satisfaction.

"I'm a lady remember? You're going to have to try a little harder than that."

Damon smirked. She was a smart woman. Not that it took a genius to figure out what kind of activities went on upstairs, but this girl was making it clear that she was not going to be treated like a common whore. No, there was more to her and much to his surprise; Damon wanted to find out what it was.

"Come with me," he said before grabbing her free hand and pulling her out of the dance floor. Elena followed closely and left her empty glass on a table on their way out. He led her to the back of the club where they were met by a couple of bodyguards. "I'm going out, boys. Don't wait up," he said over his shoulder with Elena on his heels, walking past them.

They made their way to the parking structure right beside the club and stepped into the elevator. Damon pressed the button that led them to the 5th floor at the very top. Once the elevator doors were closed, Elena pushed Damon against the wall and proceeded to kiss him again. She let her hand wander down his pants, reawakening him, letting him know she was still there. As if he'd forget.

Soon, the elevator doors opened and Elena pulled away to see that there were no cars on this floor except for one: a black Ferrari.

"Nice ride," she said as they approached the vehicle, "458 Italia?"

Damon looked at her, wide eyed, "You know your cars. I'm impressed."

Elena smirked as he opened the passenger door for her. She got in and watched as he came around to the driver side, taking a deep breath. This was it, no going back now. As soon as he turned on the car, he sped out of the parking structure. Damon raced down the road; 2am traffic not really being an issue.

It wasn't long before they reached they're destination. Damon pressed a button above him, causing the white metal gate before them to open. They made their way down the gravel road until they reached a house.

The house was sleek and modern in style. Surrounded my windows, the inside of the house was very much exposed, but the fact that they were surrounded by trees made it feel private, nonetheless.

"This is where you live?"

"One of many," Damon said before getting out of the car and going around again to open the door for Elena.

They walked up the steps and Damon unlocked the door, leading her inside. They walked through the neatly decorated living space, past the large kitchen, until they reached the common area in the back of the house. Elena was immediately drawn to the back porch that over looked the ocean. She pulled the sliding glass doors open and stepped onto the deck.

She looked on at the dark night sky, hearing the waves crashing, smelling the sea air, feeling the breeze enveloping her. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen the ocean. She had loved it as a child. But as her life took many turns, she had ended up in a place so far removed from that little girl; she couldn't even recognize her anymore.

Elena sighed as she felt Damon approach her. He had been watching her closely as she looked on in silence, taking in the scene. It was almost as if this had so much more meaning to her than she was willing to show and it made him curious. She was a mystery and he couldn't wait to have her.

"You like it?" he asked, coming up behind her.

She nodded, "It's beautiful."

Damon's hands began to roam, going over her exposed shoulders and down her arms. His lips descended over her neck and Elena closed her eyes, feeling his kisses and allowing them to excite her.

* * *

It didn't take long for them to make their way upstairs. Elena began to make quick work of the buttons of his black silk shirt as Damon kissed her fiercely. She pushed the shirt over his shoulders, removing it before he pushed her down onto his waiting bed. He looked down at her, loving how her hair fanned out as she fell, loving how she was looking at him with desire filled eyes. It was nothing more than a power trip, having her beneath him, wanting him. One could even argue that it was better than the drugs he sold.

Damon came back down to her mouth and Elena responded, taking what he was giving. She had felt a pinch of annoyance when he looked at her like she was his for the taking, and though at this point she was, she wasn't going to stand it if she allowed him to have all the control. She pushed him and turned them over, straddling him. She removed her green halter top, leaving her in just her strapless bra before reaching down to undo his pants.

Damon reached for her, but she slapped his hand away, "Uh uh, Mr. Salvatore. Let me play for a little bit."

If possible, Damon's baby blues darkened even further with desire at her words, making her smile devilishly in spite of herself. She began to pull his pants over his hips and taking off his boots, exposing him to her. Once he was fully naked before her, she looked down at him, taking in his form. Her eyes traveled over his strong arms and muscular chest; his trimmed chest hair trailed down his toned abs reaching her prize. He was larger than she had expected him to be. Rumors of his conquests were of no consequence to her, but she was happy to find out that some of the details hadn't been exaggerated.

She wrapped her hand around him, making him jerk slightly at the contact. She leaned down, sticking her tongue out and licking from the base up to the tip before taking him fully into her mouth as far back as she could go.

A load moan escaped Damon's throat. He had been watching her carefully, wondering what she'd do next and suddenly he was inside her hot mouth and nothing could've felt more heavenly. He resisted the urged to push his hips up as she bobbed her head above him. Her hair came around her and he pushed it to one side to see her meeting his eyes.

He could feel the rumbles of a groan coming from her around his cock as she sucked and licked every inch of him and it was driving him mad.

"Elena…" he said in a husky voice, unable to come up with anything coherent. Every fiber of his being was on fire and it was all starting to concentrate at his core.

Elena could feel that he was getting close and so she squeezed him tighter and sucked harder, urging him to cum.

Suddenly, Damon felt his body go stiff as that wave of pleasure came crashing into him, causing him to burst in her mouth. Elena took him eagerly, lapping up every bit of him as he rode down his orgasm.

But Damon wasn't ready to end the game so soon.

He grabbed her arms and pulled her up to him. She wiped her mouth and looked down at him as she lay above him, sporting an accomplished smile. She had him and she knew it. Damon reached between their bodies and pulled her skirt up around her waist before sliding his hands to her center. He could feel her thong was damp and returned her devilish smile causing Elena to blush. He worked his fingers through the fabric and found her clit immediately. Elena bit her lip as her eyes started to close of their own accord. He rubbed the sensitive spot firmly causing Elena to begin to quiver, which only made his smile grow larger.

"Told you…" he breathed into her ear.

Elena would've rolled her eyes at the comment if she hadn't been so turned on by the way he was working her with just one hand.

Damon's erection was up again and ready for another round. He wasted no time in turning them over and sat up on his knees. He pulled her thong aside, not even bothering to pull it off before sinking into her. Elena cried out as she felt him fill her completely. He put one of her legs over his shoulder and her other leg went over his hip, pulling him to her as he began to pump deep into her.

Elena could feel him hitting the very end of her with every stroke and it was causing her entire body to reach new levels of exhilaration every time. Her hands couldn't reach him and so she fisted the bed sheets and the pillow above her head as he drove into her a few more times before she felt that sudden rush of pleasure come crashing throughout her body. Her screams of pleasure echoing off the walls of the room as she rode off her own orgasm.

Damon let her leg fall off her shoulder as he braced his hands on either side of her head, slamming into her a couple more times, giving him his second orgasm. Fully spent, he collapsed beside her on the bed. He laid face down and looked at her.

Damon didn't understand it, but normally he would've asked her to go as soon as it was over. He was never one to stay and relish the aftermath of a good fuck. The girls were nothing to him and once he used them, he was done with them. But looking at her now, he couldn't help himself, he wanted her still.

"Stay," he finally said.

Elena's eyes had been fixed on the ceiling when she heard him speak. She looked at him, surprise edging her features. Had she heard him right? But the expectant look on his face confirmed it for her.

She nodded, "Okay."

* * *

TBC...

* * *

A/N: And they're off! I hope this felt as right to you guys as it did for me. I was nervous about writing this chapter because this part was so crucial to them and their new relationship. Hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Finally, I got this chappy up! Took me longer than I thought, there just aren't enough hours in the day i tellz ya! Anyways, this was one chapter that took me in direction completely different from what I had originally thought it was going to be, so I hope you guys like!

Quote from 'Made of Stone' by Evanescence

* * *

Chapter Three

* * *

_Take your time, I'm not scared. Make me everything you need me to be, so the judgment seems fair._

* * *

Elena woke to the sun shining in through the window. Her face was buried into a white pillow and she groaned, looking away from the offensive light. She could hear the shower running in the connecting bathroom and finally decided to get out of bed. She wrapped the sheet around her naked body and made her way over to the bathroom. The door was already open so she only pushed it a little further, her eyes instantly falling on him. The tub was only partially closed off my frosted glass, leaving an opening for her curious eyes. They roamed, noticing how his strong arms flexed with every stroke he took shampooing his black locks and how the suds ran down the curvature of his muscular back and shapely butt. She unknowingly tilted her head and bit her lip, captivated as he stepped under the water, letting it wash out the soap.

Quickly, she caught herself and turned away, making her way back out to the bedroom. There was nothing good in feeling anymore desire for him than necessary. Last night she hadn't been very present. She had only been semi aware; enough to get the job done. Detaching herself from the experience was the only way she'd get through it and it was sad that it came so easy to her. She had learned how to be somewhere else a long time ago, but the shame was still the same and the revulsion was still the same every time. She should feel degraded by the memory of her sucking his dick. But somehow she felt nothing of the sort.

In fact, she didn't feel much of anything. It was a necessary evil. If she allowed herself to feel anything, her job would be over and it'd be the end of her in more ways than one.

Suddenly, she could hear her phone ringing, bringing her out of her thoughts, and she moved quickly to locate it. She went around the bed and found it on the floor under her discarded skirt.

"Hello?"

"Elena? Where are you?"

"Hey Matt," she sighed, sitting on the floor and leaning against the side of the bed.

"Are you alright? You didn't call last night."

"I'm fine," she quickly replied, "He brought me to his beach house."

Matt hesitated. "Really… And did you…?"

Elena rolled her eyes, "What do you think?"

"I think this is nuts is what I think," he replied, austerely.

"Yeah, well tell that to Bonnie." Elena braced her elbow on her knee as he buried her face in her hand.

Matt sobered and spoke calmly, "Just call me next time, okay? You know, how important it is to keep contact."

"And you know how important it is that I do this right," Elena replied gently even though her words contradicted her tone.

"Take care of yourself."

"Always do."

* * *

Damon wasn't much of a thinker by reputation and mostly by fact. He was cruel, impulsive, abrasive and even unmerciful, but never a thinker. The moments when he caught himself thinking were moments he punished himself for allowing it to happen. Thinking opened up wounds, opened up questions, opened up doors to unparalleled pain and he couldn't tolerate it.

She opened up that door. Elena had unknowingly made him think of things he much rather keep buried. He tried to be cold as he took her; he tried to pretend like she was just the same as the rest. But both times that he's seen her; both times she had left him dithering in the past. It was the place where he was at his happiest and oddly enough, it was also the place where he was at his saddest.

Elena appeared fragile to the untrained eye. Much like the girls he's had on many occasions. But beneath her beautiful surface was a strong, unashamed and unafraid woman. She stood before him and challenged him. She never once faltered, never once looked back to see what she had left in her wake. He had only ever seen one other woman carry herself the way she did and it pained him to think of her.

Damon pushed away any thoughts of her as he finished rinsing off. He wasn't going to go there.

As soon as he was done, he turned off the shower and grabbed a towel before wrapping it around his waist. He made his way out of the bathroom to find Elena wrapped in his white bed sheets, standing on the balcony, looking out at the blue ocean. Her brown chestnut hair flowed behind her as the wind kissed her lightly, causing her to grip the sheets tighter.

Damon walked up behind her and placed his hand on her hip, looking at the beach over her shoulder, "Good morning."

Elena turned to look at him just as he turned to face her too and she had to repress a gasp. Out here, in the daylight, with the warm sun touching every surface of his features, he looked stunning. She had known his eyes were bright blue, even in the darkness of the club you can see it, but the eyes that looked back at her now were impossibly brighter and warmer than those of the man she met at the club.

He smiled at her and she smiled back gently, "Good morning."

"Are you hungry?"

"I can eat," she replied.

"Come on, I'll make you something," he said before stepping away from her. Dropping the towel, he took his naked self to the closet and pulled out a pair of black jeans before putting them on.

Elena tried to ignore the rush of heat coming over her at the sight of him fully exposed again and looked at him in bewilderment, "You're going to cook?"

"Sure, why not?" he asked as he walked over to the dresser to the left and grabbed a black t-shirt from the top drawer before tossing it to her, "Here you go."

Elena caught the shirt before speaking, "I guess I just never pictured you as the cooking type."

She let the sheets fall around her ankles and pulled the shirt over her head. It hung loosely on her petite body and she reveled in the soft cotton fabric. It felt just like the ones she sometimes wore at home.

"You'd be surprised at my many talents," he smiled, suggestively.

Elena rolled her eyes and started to walk past him, "No one likes a bragger, Damon."

"But it's what I do!" he said smugly from behind her, following her out of the room and down the stairs.

"Oh, that's right. Yeah, I heard about that, too."

Damon frowned, "Heard about what?"

Elena turned and walked backwards as she spoke, "About how Damon, that's you," she pointed at him, "Has an ego the size of Mount Everest. Not quite sure how you manage not to let it get in the way of your charm, though," she added, pensive.

Damon simply replied, "Long arduous hours of practice."

Elena couldn't stop herself from laughing. Damon quickly realized that it was the first time he had heard her laugh and he couldn't help but find satisfaction in the fact that he had caused it. She looked genuinely at ease for the first time since he'd met her and he was sure that he was witnessing something very rare. Not to say that he knew much about her, but he was willing to bet that she didn't laugh like this very often.

Damon smiled at her as she sobered up before they reached their destination.

Elena's eyes went wide at the massive kitchen. The sleek décor from the rest of the house continued throughout. The cabinetry was black wood with frosted glass and stainless steel fixtures. To match, all the appliances were stainless steel as well and tying the black and steel together were the white marble counter tops and kitchen island. The back drop of woodsy trees seen beyond the glass windows with the sunlight filtering through brightened up the room, giving some warmth to the cold furnishing.

She took a seat on one of the stainless steel stools at the kitchen island and watched Damon make his way over to the fridge.

"So…" began Damon as he took out the ingredients to make an omelet. "What's your story?"

Elena was taken aback by the forward question, "Excuse me?"

Damon turned to face her, "Tell me something about you," he more ordered than asked.

Elena tilted her head, regarding him for a moment, wondering why he seemed so curious about her. He wasn't the kind of man who really cared. So, what was it about her that suddenly made that statement false? "Do you usually do this?" she finally asked.

"Do what? Make breakfast?" he asked as he began to chop the tomatoes. "Yes, quite often. More times than most people realize."

"No, I mean take an interest in the women you sleep with."

Damon stopped chopping and looked up to meet her eyes before simply saying, "No."

Elena leaned over the counter and got but mere inches from his face, "Then, why start now?"

Damon stared her down, fighting the urge to cut the chit chat and just have his wicked way with her. "Am I supposed to tell you about you then? Because believe it or not, I know more than you think."

"Really…" Elena said, skeptically. She noticed his eyes getting darker with desire and bit her lip, temptingly.

Damon resisted a grown as his eyes fell on her mouth. "Yes, really… I can tell you stuff about yourself I'm sure you don't even know…" he replied, his voice never betraying him.

Elena chuckled, sitting back on the stool again, crossing her arms. "Okay, Mr. Salvatore. Tell me all about me."

Damon smiled smugly, "Elena Gilbert, born June 22, 1987, daughter to John Gilbert who died about 4 years ago, your mother virtually unknown, died giving birth to you. You attended Mystic Falls High, and when you were 19 years old you went to jail for 1 year for drug possession…. How am I doing so far?"

Elena stared at him, narrowing her eyes, "A little too well."

Damon smirked before proceeding to crack the eggs into a bowl, "You don't seem too surprised."

"You're Damon Salvatore. Need I say more?" she replied, letting her arms rest on the counter, turning her attentions to his skilled hands and watched him mix in the ingredients into a hot frying pan.

"If you knew all this already, why ask me?" she asked after a moment.

"Is it so wrong to want to hear it straight from the girl herself?" he replied with a coy smile.

Elena looked at him pointedly and his smile quickly faded.

"I wanted to learn as to why you never mentioned before who you're father was," he said, all lightness gone from his voice.

Elena had been expecting questions about her father to come up sooner or later. But it still surprised her that it had been this soon. The only reason why she kept so calm was because she knew what he knew. Every detail he had researched on her was carefully laid out for him to find. There was nothing out there that she didn't want him to know.

"And when was I supposed to tell you, exactly? When you were sizing me up in your office? Or when we were having sex upstairs?"

Damon frowned as he served the omelet and practically threw the plate before Elena. He looked at her hard, disliking her tone. He braced his hands on the counter, never breaking eye contact with her. "Listen very carefully Elena, if you're looking to find out about what happened to your father, you're looking in the wrong place," he said, the venom clear in his voice.

Elena didn't flinch. Not when the plate slammed against the marble and certainly not when he looked at her with such fire in his eyes. On the contrary, she fed on it because she wasn't one to back down or allow herself to be intimidated by anyone, least of all someone like him. She knew better.

"I know what happened to my father, Damon. I'm not stupid. You think I don't know what goes on in this world? Deals are made, people get themselves killed. It's just the way it is. My father simply made a bad call." Elena tried to remain unfazed as she spoke. She hadn't spoken about her father in 4 years and now suddenly she was having this conversation with the man who was no doubt the one who signed his death warrant.

"That he did," he simply said in earnest and it made Elena curious and somewhat astounded.

Damon apparently had this incredible ability to change emotions fairly quickly. Not but 2 minutes ago he looked like he might want to kill her, now he was actually sad about her father's death? He was definitely something.

Elena sighed as they sat for a moment, silence filling the room, food untouched. She averted her eyes and could feel traces of shame for using her father as a means to give her a reason to stay. It certainly wasn't the real reason she was here. There was so much more happening that went beyond simply finding her father's killer. But she figured she might as well kill two birds with one stone.

Elena finally looked up at Damon before speaking, "What I want to know is who pulled the trigger."

* * *

TBC...

* * *

A/N: The plot thickens! muahahaha! I didn't think i'd be setting this up so soon but it just wrote itself. I want to thank everyone who has been reading and reviewing and subscribing and favoring this story. Every bit of feedback encourages me to give you guys more of this and I hope I don't disappoint. The next Chappy is already in the works in my brain so hopefully it wont take me long to write. byeness! *waves*


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: First of all, i want to thank you all for being so supportive of this story. i can't even begin to tell you how grateful i am that so many of you are interested in it. I want to especially thank Dawn for helping me through a lot of my brainstorming. i tend to get hung up on the details and though a lot of the BG story hasn't been written yet, it has to exist in order for the writing to happen and make sense later. So again THANK YOU.

On to reading! Enjoy!

Quote is from: G4L by Rihanna

* * *

**Chapter Four**

* * *

_Playing with fire gonna get you wet. How's it feel down there on your knees?_

* * *

Damon looked at Elena trying to keep his poker face intact. He wasn't ready to answer that question. He wasn't sure how. Nor was he convinced that she was even ready to hear it.

There were things about him that he would rather not share with her. No matter how strong she seemed or how brave or how fearless she was, he was still a monster and he wasn't going to show her that side of him willingly.

The sound of the phone ringing reverberated in the room interrupted them, much to Damon's relief. He looked at Elena one more time, expressionless, before pulling his cell phone from his back pocket.

"Yeah," he said into the phone.

"Damon, I think you should come in," said Ric from the other end, sounding urgent.

Damon frowned, "what's wrong?"

"Stefan just called. He's collected. He's on his way."

"I'm on my way." Damon hung up the phone immediately and made his way upstairs, leaving Elena to follow him.

"What's going on?" she asked, running up the stairs behind him. She stopped at the bedroom doorway and watched him put on a shirt.

"Get dressed. We're leaving," he simply said as he walked passed her.

Elena didn't need any more encouragement than that. She quickly made her way to the other side of the room, gathered her clothes from the floor. She made quick work in getting dressed and following Damon downstairs.

The Ferrari was already turned on and as soon as Elena was safely seated inside, Damon sped out of the property. There was nothing but silence in the car except for the sound of the motor revving when Damon pressed on the gas heavily.

Damon knew it was a bad idea to bring Elena along. Every fiber in his being screamed at him for not having followed his own rules and call her a cab last night. He would've woken up this morning and she wouldn't be in the car with him right now.

But that was it right there. That was the reason. _She wouldn't be with him right now_.

He gripped the steering wheel tightly at the realization that he wasn't ready to give her up. He didn't dare to look at her and kept his eyes fixed on the road. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with her once they got to there. He sure as hell wasn't leaving her alone at the beach house and the only upside to taking her with him was that at least he'd be able to keep an eye on her. But he wasn't thrilled about the idea. Sure she knew a little bit about his world but it didn't mean he had to expose her to it. Not like this, anyway. The things he dealt with were shady at best and though this was his least favorite part of the business, there was simply no escaping it. Things had to be dealt with and if he could prevent her from getting involved, that was exactly what he was going to do.

Damon was soon pulling up to an abandoned industrial area about 40 minutes from the beach house. There were several cars parked beside a warehouse, and Damon parked next to a 1963 red Porsche. Stefan was already here.

Turning the car off, he leaned over against Elena and opened the glove compartment to pull out a pair of handcuffs.

"What is that for?" asked Elena, finally breaking the silence.

"Insurance," Damon simply replied before grabbing her hand and swiftly cuffing her to the steering wheel.

"Damon, what are you doing?!" she yelled, tugging at the wrist. "Let me go!"

Damon suddenly looked at her, his uncompromising stare making her efforts to free herself go into a halt, "Listen to me, Elena. Trust me when I tell you, you're not going to like what you find here."

Elena didn't waver. The warning in his voice doing little to repel her, "Damon, you can't leave me in here!"

Damon smirked. "Consider it a service," he said before placing a kiss on her lips, "I'll be back soon."

Damon stepped out of the car just in time to hear Elena yell, "Damon!" and closed the door, drowning her out.

Ric walked out of the building just in time to see Damon getting out of the car. He looked at Damon as he pointed at the girl in the car, "Did I miss something?"

Damon turned around to look at a fuming Elena. If looks could kill, he'd be a dead man right now. He only chuckled, "She'd cute when she's mad isn't she?"

Ric raised an eyebrow. "Gorgeous," he finally replied, holding back an amused smile.

"Where's Stefan?" Damon asked as he began to make his way into the building.

"He's inside," Ric said, walking in stride with him. "Also… Isobel is here, too. She is not happy."

Damon groaned, "Wonderful. What did you tell her?"

"That you spent the night at the beach house."

"With company?"

"She pretty much concluded that one all on her own. Not like it's hard to figure out," Ric smirked. "You had a nice night I'd take it?"

Damon raised an eyebrow at his friend, "Since when is that of any interest to you?"

"Pretty much since you started showing interest in her. Kicking Isobel out for her that first night, taking her to the beach house… the fact that she's sitting in your car handcuffed to your steering wheel right now," Ric responded unable to contain his laughter any longer.

"Oh yeah, I'm a real charmer."

They made their way down a concrete corridor, until they reached the second door on the left.

Ric slapped a hand over Damon's shoulder, "You really don't give yourself enough credit."

Damon smirked at Ric before pushing the door open and stepping inside.

The small concrete room used to be used for storage, but now it was used as what Stefan liked to call it: a garbage disposal. There was not a single piece of furniture or anything that would indicate there was anyone coming here on a regular basis except for the fact that it would get washed out every time it was used.

There was nothing warm or inviting about the room. If the cold concrete walls could talk, they'd tell you about the lives that had been taken here. It would show you the blood stained scars that still lingered in the cracks and reminisce about the screams that would bounce off of it.

This is where Giuseppe Salvatore had brought his two sons to witness a man's life being taken for the first time. This is where they first spilled blood. This is where they became killers.

Damon scanned the room. To his left was one of his bodyguards, Lee, and beside him stood Isobel. While to his right were Alaric and his other bodyguard, Trevor. In the center of the room was an unconscious Kol Mikealson, tied up on the floor.

Damon regarded Kol for a moment before finally looking up at Stefan and smirked, "Hello brother."

* * *

Elena was pissed. No, actually, she was downright livid! She couldn't believe that Damon had cuffed her to his car! She needed to get inside. She might never get another opportunity like this again. She looked around the car frantically, hoping to find a key or maybe something to pick the lock, but had no such luck. She sighed in frustration, leaning back against the car seat.

"Ouch."

She felt a pinch on the back of her head and when she reached back to see what it was; it was as stray bobby pin that had gotten stuck in her hair. Her big brown eyes went wide and a hopeful smile spread across her face. She bended the pin and began to pick at the cuffs. The moment the cuffs gave way, she cheered and climbed out of the car quickly. She made her way inside of the warehouse and tried to follow the general direction of where she had seen Damon and his bodyguard disappeared to.

Soon she could hear muffled echoes coming from down the hall. She came to the second door that was cracked open and peaked inside to find Damon, Isobel and four more guys, one of which was on the floor, occupying the room.

Elena took a deep breath; she already knew what this was.

* * *

"How long has he been out?" Damon asked, inspecting Kol before grabbing his handgun from Ric.

"Just a couple of hours; He should be coming around soon," replied Stefan, arms crossed.

"Well, we can't be waiting here forever…" Damon crouched down and smacked Kol, shaking him from unconsciousness, "Rise and shine, Sweetheart!"

Kol woke and looked around, groaning at the sudden pounding in his head. "Oh, it's you…" said Kol groggily, his British accent making his words sound more sluggish.

Damon smiled, "Yes, it's me. Now I need you to wake up for me. We need to talk."

Kol looked at Damon for a moment, noticing the gun in his hand, before sitting up. He knew he was in deep trouble. "If all you wanted was to talk, you couldn't have made a phone call?"

"If only you had made it that simple. But you are very hard to get a hold of!" Damon replied, the mischievousness in his voice evident.

"So you sent your baby brother to find me? That's kind of pathetic."

Damon chuckled, "No, what I find pathetic is that you thought you could threaten my family and actually get away with it."

Kol had to laugh, "Is that all he told you?"

"It's all I need to know."

Kol sobered and looked at Damon, no fear in his eyes. "So what now, you kill me? It's not going to change anything. Sooner or later we all fall, Damon. And if it's not going to be me to bring you down, someone eventually will."

Damon frowned and stood up before pointing the 9mm pistol at him. "Well, at least we know it won't be you."

Kol quickly moved his eyes to Stefan, "Give my sister my love."

The loud shot of the handgun rang out in the small room, the impact of the moment causing Elena to yelp in shock. She clapped her hand over her mouth instantly, but it was of no use, everyone's eyes had already landed on the door.

Isobel walked over, avoiding the blood now spilling out on the floor. Elena's heart began to race. The thought of running had come to her, but there was nowhere to hide, she wouldn't reach the end of the hall in time. She pressed herself against the wall as Isobel made her way out to the hall way.

"Well well, look who we have here…" said Isobel before grabbing Elena by the arm and pulling her to the opening of the room.

Elena's wide eyes instantly fell on Damon.

* * *

TBC...

* * *

A/N: Uh oh... eep! Please review! LOVE YOU GUYS!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: OMG! I updated! I definitely ended up in a different place in this one than I expected. I even had to change the quote because I felt this one spoke more to the chapter on both sides. Hope it makes sense! Gotta say thank you to everyone who has been supporting this story whether by review, favoring or subscribing, you guys are the best! I hope you like this chappy! Enjoy!

Quote from 'Trying' by Lifehouse

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**

* * *

_Could you let down your hair, _

_Be transparent for awhile, just a little while,_

_To see if you're human after all_

* * *

Elena could feel her heart pound against her chest as she locked eyes with Damon who looked back at her with a hard, icy cold stare. Should she say something? What would she say that would save her life at this point? She took a risk and this one didn't turn out so well. She had been sloppy and careless and she wouldn't blame him if he decided to dispose of her the same way he had done to his buddy on the floor.

"Damon, I can explain," she finally said.

"Oh, you're not getting out of this one, sweetness," Isobel sneered, tightening her grip on Elena.

Elena winced at the pain Isobel was inflicting on her arm but she didn't dare look away from Damon. She could see the anger burning in his eyes and even though she should've been afraid of his unpredictable nature, she couldn't help but feel empowered by that fire. She hadn't realized it until now, but she fed on it.

"Everyone, leave," Damon said, his hard stare never wavering, never looking away from her.

Isobel couldn't believe her ears. "Damon, you can't be serious! She can't get away with this!"

Damon's eyes instantly fell on Isobel, "Do not make me repeat myself."

Isobel knew not to challenge him any further. But Elena couldn't be trusted and if she didn't hear a gunshot go off after she left this room, she was going to make him see reason even if it was the last thing she ever did. Isobel released Elena and stormed out of the room.

Damon gave a hard sigh and turned to Ric, "Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid. And take the body with you. We'll clean up later."

Ric nodded and instructed Trevor and Lee to take Kol. Elena moved out of the way and watched as they dragged the lifeless body of out the door. She turned back just in time to see Stefan and Damon share a look.

"Meet me at the club. We'll talk later," Damon said to him. The warning in his tone was evident. Elena knew right away that Damon's anger wasn't just because of her and she found comfort in that.

Stefan nodded and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Elena reveled in the fact that it was just them now. She was no longer outnumbered; no one there to influence Damon's decisions or sway him in any direction that would lead to her death. The ball was in his court, but the odds were in her favor.

"Damon—"

Damon charged at her, closing the distance between them, and pushing her against the wall behind her. His free hand was firm on her throat, but not restricting. His knee went in between her legs, making it hard for her to move. Elena's eyes went wide in shock and instinctively placed her hand over his wrist. His face was inches from hers.

"I can't even _begin_ to explain the kind of shit that you are putting me through. Do you have any idea how royally fucked up this is? You were not supposed to be here. You were not supposed to see," Damon said harshly, fighting the urge to kill her. It would be so easy. All he had to do was tighten his grip on her throat or point the gun he held in his hand and pull the trigger. But he didn't. He only stared into her eyes, fighting himself, trying to decide if he wanted her bad enough.

She had invaded a side to him that he wasn't okay with sharing. The last time he had let someone in, she had fucked him over. Ever since then, the only people that knew about this side and witnessed it on a regular basis were the people on the other side of that door. Elena was an outsider. She had shown up at his bar and he had fucked her last night. It wasn't any more than that. The solution to his problem was very simple. So why wasn't he following through? Why was he hesitating?

He looked at her searching his eyes and wondered what she saw there. The shock that had been so evident on her face earlier was gone. She waited, her big doe eyes making him forget why this was such a struggle. There was no arguing that she was a beautiful woman and that she very much fit into the mold of the women he liked to sleep with. But not one of them has ever looked at him the way she was looking at him right now. As if there was nothing outside of them that mattered. Not the room they were in or what it represented and certainly not the blood on the floor spilled by his own hand.

"Stop looking at me like that," he said, tightening his grip but a fraction.

Elena didn't speak. She could tell he was struggling with himself and though it was good news for her, it somehow still made her feel for him. She rubbed her thumb against his wrist, trying to offer some form of comfort despite the fact that his hand was around her throat. Damon averted his eyes. He raised the gun and looked at it for a moment; feeling the weight of it in his hand, remembering all the lives he's taken with it. Nothing about it made him proud. But this was the way it had always been. It's the way it had to be.

"Damon…" she finally whispered.

Damon looked up at her. "This is what I am, Elena. _This_ is what it boils down to," he said, gesturing at the gun. Elena didn't say a word. Her gaze never faltered as she suddenly felt him let go of her throat and take a step back. "I should shoot you right now as if it were the most natural thing in the world to me, as if it were like breathing. But I don't want to," he said, intently.

"So then don't," Elena finally replied.

Damon had to scoff, "Do you know what that would mean?"

"Yes, I do. And it's okay. You don't always have to follow your own rules, Damon," Elena replied, the seriousness of her words evident in her tone.

"I can't just let you walk away either," he argued.

"Then I'll stay," she said it as if it were the most obvious choice, stepping forward towards him and grabbing the hand that had just been wrapped around her throat moments ago. "Trust me when I tell you that what you do doesn't matter to me."

Damon frowned, looking down at their held hands, unwilling to take her word for it. Something like this wasn't the kind of thing you take lightly. His life was dark in every sense of the word. He can't imagine someone ever wanting to live it willingly, much less be so apathetic about it. "How can it not?"

"Do I need to remind you of who my father was? He was no different. None of this fazes me, Damon." She leaned into him, ushering him to look back up at her, "None of it."

Elena's eyes shown with absolute sincerity and the mere fact that Damon couldn't help but give into them bothered him. He should be fighting this with every fiber of his being, but there was something about her that he couldn't allow himself to be without. Even though experience told him he should be cautious, the fact is she was still standing here, ready and willing to follow him into his world with no judgment, no fear, and no apprehension. He quickly realized that all the conflict he was feeling was of no consequence because no matter what she had seen, he already knew he wasn't going to give her up either way.

* * *

Later that night, Damon had dropped her off at her apartment so that she could wash up and get changed while he headed back to the club to meet his brother. During the drive he had surprised her with the idea that she should move in with him. She had been hoping for something like this to happen somewhere down the road. She needed to be as close to him as possible. But she never imagined it'd be this early in the game. Though it had been a close call with the whole Kol thing, it seemed to have worked in her favor, pushing things ahead of schedule. He wanted her around and he wanted to keep a close eye on her. There was no better option than to have her live with him.

It didn't bother her that he was being so wary of her. She had to prove she could be trusted and she couldn't ask more of him at this point. It was enough that she was still breathing. So, for the meantime, she was going to play it his way.

Elena quickly stepped into the shower and let her body relax under the hot water. It had been a stressful day; she had escaped sudden death and without a scratch! How was that possible? By reputation, Damon was cold and unmerciful. So then why did he show her mercy? What is it about her that made him want to give her the opportunity to show him that he could trust her? She was nothing special by any standards. In fact, she was broken.

She was used and destroyed many times over by the men that had been in her life, and never having a mother figure to soften those blows was hardly a recipe for a worthy human being. Her father was probably the closest thing she ever knew of a good man. But, even though he provided for her, he was never around long enough to protect her; especially from his own brother.

Grayson Gilbert was the one responsible for making her hate her reflection, he was the one responsible for her ability to shut people out so easily, he was the one who made her have to learn to live with the shame and guilt that always lingered underneath the surface because he created them in her. Every night, he filled her with it and every night she found herself getting better and better at getting away from the experience until she had become numb to it. She hated thinking about him. She had spent eight years running away from him, building her life and making something of herself. But it always came back down this; the anger, the hurt, and the shame.

She felt the anger now. Not so much at him, but more at herself for allowing her mind to think of him. It rarely ever happened anymore, but when it did, it was almost guaranteed that she'd have a sleepless night.

She quickly shut the water off and made her way out of the bathroom. While holding the towel around her small frame with one hand, she rummaged through her closet for an outfit with the other. She had planned on staying in and meeting Damon tomorrow, but suddenly she wasn't feeling up to spending the night alone. For a moment she thought she might want to meet him at the club, but the beach house sounded more inviting. She finally decided on a pair of jeans and a white top before walking over to her dresser and grabbing her phone.

_Feel like spending the night at the beach house, meet me there? _

Moments later Damon replied, _Be there as soon._

* * *

Elena's cab had pulled up to the white gate just in time to see the Ferrari coming around the corner. The cab driver got out of the vehicle and proceeded to walk towards the trunk to pull out Elena's belongings. She had only packed an overnight bag; she figured she'd be back for the rest of her things once her 'moving in' became official.

Damon pulled up next to them, his eyes instantly falling on Elena. He got out of the car quickly and approached her. Their eyes met for a moment before he gave her a small smile and turned to the cab driver. "I'll take those. How much is the fair?"

"Oh, no Damon, you don't have to do that," said Elena before the cab driver could respond.

Damon instantly looked at her with a look that said, 'don't argue', and turn back to the man in front of him, "How much?"

"Forty-five, sir."

Damon pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and proceeded to pay the man. The cab driver gave him a thankful nod and made his way back into the cab before pulling back out onto the road.

Damon looked at Elena and gestured towards his car, "Come on."

Once they made their way inside the house, Elena lingered in the living room for a moment while she waited for Damon to put her bag down and get settled in. Her eyes roamed the room, the couches were black leather and the paintings on the wall were abstract giving the white walls some color. But she couldn't feel any less interested in them. She looked to the end of the room where the glass sliding doors separated her from the beach. That's where she wanted to go.

Damon watched Elena walk over to the sliding doors and pulling them open to make her way onto the deck. She slipped out of her flip flops and stepped down to the sand. Damon followed her out but stood back on the deck to see her approach the black ocean as the cool breeze played with her hair. The pale light of the moon lit up the night, giving it such a beautiful and peaceful glow; it reminded him why he liked coming here the most of all the houses he owned.

Elena stopped just a few steps before reaching the water and sat down. She silently looked on, relishing in the night, feeling the wind envelope her and the scent of the salty sea air fill her nostrils. She knew better than to allow it, but she felt safe out here. In the darkness she could hide, nothing surrounding her but sand and sea. Even though Damon was but a few feet away and she wasn't really alone, she felt lonely. Most nights she could handle lonely just fine, but for some reason, tonight she hated it. She wasn't sure if she should be angry or sad about it, but either way it didn't matter because this was what she was. No one was ever going to reach her.

"Are you going to just stare all night, or are you going to come and sit by me?" She finally called out after a while.

Damon had to smile. She was good at being tough, but he knew better than to think she didn't need a moment. With everything that happened today, he sure as hell needed one too. He removed his shoes and made his way down towards her before sitting down next to her. He didn't say anything; he just looked out at the ocean with her.

Another moment passed before Elena finally spoke, "I don't like to clean."

"You don't have to."

"And I like the left side of the bed."

Damon chuckled, "That works for me."

Elena finally looked over at him and gave a small smile, "Good."

* * *

TBC...

* * *

A/N: Aw! Please review! I'd love to hear what you guys thought! I hope to start getting to the nitty gritty of this story after this. There's lots to come! This is just the beginning! Muahahaha! :D


End file.
